Wire-wiping apparatus



(No Model.)

v H. ROBERTS. WIRE WIPING APPARATUS. 210.268.1219. 7 Patented Nov. 28,1882.

W E SEES N. PETERS. Phmauthn n nur. Washin ton. 0.6.

4 U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' HENRY ROBERTS, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WIRE-WIPING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,129, datedNovember. 28, 1882.

Application filed April 27. 1882. (No model.) i

To all whom' it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY ROBERTS, of Pittsburg, Allegheny county, inthe State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Wire-Wiping Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

It is common to coat iron or steel wires with zinc in. the process knownas galvanizing by drawin gthem slowly through preparatory materials-asacid and salammoniac-then through the bath of melted zinc, andimmediately afterward through a quantity of material which performs animportant function by wiping 01'1" the surplus of melted zinc, leaving auniform thin coat covering the wire. Twelve or other considerable numberof wires are thus taken together through the metal bath and through thepreparatory and subsequent treatment, being carried a sufficientdistance apart to avoid contact and to allow the several operations tobe successfully performed.

The presentinvention relates to the appara' tus for holding the wipingmaterial, and is particularly adapted for use with a box and rollers, asdescribed in my patent of May 17,1881, No. 241,721, and I will sodescribe it.

By my invention I am enabled to automatically and reliably feed and packthe wiping material against the outconling wires without hand-labor. VIplace the wiping-box, as usual, over one end of the metal bath, so thatthe zinc wiped off may flow back into the same. The

bottom is of iron or other suitable material, a.

few inches above the surface of the melted metal, having holes properlyarranged to receive the several wires and sutficiently larger than thewires to allow the passage of the knots orjunctions, which are roughlymade where one length of wire terminates and another begins. Theseknots, which seem to be essential to the rough and rapid workingnecessary in this art, are important to be considered in the wipingmechanism, as they render impracticable the presenting of any closefitting rigid parts in contact with the wire. I provide two shafts heldin proper bearings behind the wiping-box and revolved by power. On theseshafts are fitted eccentrics, each of which operates a plunger or packerforward and backward through the medium of a correspondinglyshapedeccentric strap. These plungers or packers are constructed so as toallow of proper yielding when the wiping material in the wiping box mayfor any reason have become too dense. These packers push the wipingmaterial against the wire and feed it to the rollers. I support theapertured bottom referred to on ledges from uprights-one at each side ofthe bath. Above the bottom plate I mount two side pieces or wings, whichextend across the bath and converge upward. The wiping material is heldin position by these side pieces or converging wings, the properpressure being imparted to the material through th umb-screwsoperatingin the end supports, and bearing with variable force againstthe wings through the medium of longitudinal rods or bars. I provide twoslots in each of the end pieces to accommodate the traverse of theserods.

The following is a description of what I consider the best means ofcarrying out the invention.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section, and Fig. 2 a detail.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in both the figures.-

K is a box, which I term the wiping-box.

L L, 850., are rollers mounted in suitable bearings in the wiping-box,and turned by gearing (not represented) in the directions indicated bythe arrows. The surfaces of these several rolls are armed withprojections l, which engage with the slag-wool It or other wipingmaterial and drag it along in the direction opposite to the movements ofthe wires m, asindicated by the arrows. The general tendency of therollers is to move the wiping material gradually from the back and topto the front and bottom of the wiping-box; or, in other words, towardthat part of the wiping-box which overhangs the tank, and which receivesthe wires m on their first emergingfrom the melted-metal bath.

P P are revolving shafts mounted in fixed bearings, and carryin geccentrics P ,which give motion to the eccentric rings R andrigidlyconnected tubes B. These tubes R extend in the direction in whichit is desired to ram or push the wiping material. Each tube R receivesin its interior a sliding bar, T, having its outer end properly formedto be thrust into the wiping material It, and to push a quantity of thesame in the direction in which it is required to be forced at eachreciprocation; but the bar T, instead of being rigidly connected to thetube R, is connected through a coiled spring, Q, inclosed within thetube R. T is apin inserted in the side of the bar T, and standing in aslot, 1", in the side of the tube R. Under ordinary conditions thespring Q holds the bar T out to its utmost extent with the pin Tpressing firmly against the outer end of the slot 1". Thus conditioned,the bar T reciprocates to the same extent as the throw of the eccentricP; but when, through any extraordinary accumulation of the wipingmaterial It in front ofthe bar T, it is impossible to perform the fullstroke of the latter without injury to itself or other portions of theapparatus, the spring Q yields and allows the bar T to be receivedfarther within the tube R. This yielding has the effect to give the bar1, which is the effective end of the rammer or packer, less motion forthe time being, and the reduced effieiency of the apparatus, due to thiscause, continues until, through the motion of the rolls L or othercause, Ihe unusual obstruction is removed, after which the full strokeof the packer will be resumed, as at first.

The uppermost tier of packers is what I esteem the principal one. Itgathers the wiping material and forces it into the upper pair oi rolls,L. The movement of the rolls pa-ssesit down through the machine untilitemerges frombetween the lowermost of the rolls, there being a more orless complete circulation of the material in the other portions of thewipingboX by its gradual movement back outside of the rolls to the pointwhere the uppermost packers can again act upon it. The lowermost packersare less important and may have a less stroke. They serve to insure thatthe hot wiping material which contains the melted metal shall be forcedforward and the melted metal allowed to be discharged through the holeswhere the wires on enter. The circulation of the wiping material fromthe bite of the lowermost rolls back, to be received by the uppermostpackers and forced again into the bite of the uppermost rolls, is mainlyin the upper and front rather than in the lower and back portion of thewiping-box.

Modifications may be made in the forms and proportions of the detailswithout departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages ofthe invention. Parts may be used without the whole. The lowermost seriesof packers may be dispensed with. The yielding quality of the packersmay be modified or dispensed with altogether. I may provide one packerfor each wire, or a less number may serve efficiently. I can widen theacting end of each rammer so that it nearly touches its neighbor on eachside. The upper surface of the acting end of each packer T is preferablygrooved or coved out, so as to admit of the wire passing up withoutliability of touching; and I may slightly taper or wedge-shape theentire width of the acting end. i

I claim as my invention The combination of a series of reciprocatingpackers, T, withthe box K, containing wiping material 70, and with therevolving rolls L, as and for the purposes specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Pittsburg,Pennsylvania, this 24th day of April, 1882, in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

HENRY ROBERTS.

Witnesses:

H. E. HoLMEs, J. O. BRADY.

